complex social domain made of multiple overlapping institutions w/ back and forth between structural constraints and individual agency

capitalist economy wants to accumulate capital & benefits from perpetuation of social inequalities

Consequences of Recession
Don Peck- How a New Jobless Era will Transform America

Society and social Institutions

Lisa Mclntyre- societies are self sufficient, totality of people & social relations in a given geographic area

societal needs- continuing supply of new members, socialize new members, create knowledge, control members

Institutions are unplanned & developed gradually- best way become pattern for future generations to follow, activity becomes habituated, routines -way we do things, free up memory space vs. institutionalized behavior is way it must be done